ALEX YOUNG RIP

[royalblue66]

Well the day I've been dreading for the past few years has finally arrived, but first let me give you a bit of background.
December 2nd 1963 and my first trip to my spiritual home, the reason Everton vs. Glasgow Rangers in the second leg of the British Championship. It was cold Monday night and the chill in the air took you breath away, or so I thought until I turned the corner and caught my first glimpse of the majestic stadium Goodison Park. I was seven years old and living in Crewe, I didn't know I was going till I came home from school, so to say I was excited is an understatement. The throngs of people around me, the shouting of the programme sellers, the old guy with his bible and cross telling us we were all sinners and that now was the time to repent (he must have had God on his side as he never seamed to get an older) the smell emitting from the chippies and cafes and the cigarette smoke filled the air.
The one thing that didn't surprise me was the accents, my Dad was from Garston (South Liverpool) and my Mum from Drumchapel (North Glasgow). Once inside (Old Park End Stand) we had a cup of Bovril (weirdly I've only ever had this at football grounds) and a pie. My Dad was very clever and took me up from the concourse to the seats just before the players came onto the pitch, the first strain of Z Cars started and was immediately drowned out by the cheers of just over 42,000 fans as the 22 gladiators took to the pitch. I know I stood there in awe as I took it all in as the floodlights concentrated you gaze on to the pitch with its billiard table smooth grass. The game started but I was to busy at the start taking in everything around me, but after about 10/15 minutes I started to watch the game and then that's when I saw him. He looked smaller than everyone else with the golden hair making him stand out in the floodlights making him look like a God. If I'm totally honest I don't remember that much about the game, but I do remember that God as I and many others where to call him scored, I remember that his balletic type movement made all the other players look like clog dancers in comparison and I know that at every game after this one I smiled like a Cheshire cat every time his name was read out on the team sheet. He was to be my first hero and while other players have come and gone not one of them can make me smile like the memories of this man can. I cried when he was sold to Glentoran, and later on went to watch him play for Stockport County before a knee injury forced him into retirement. I still got a tear in my eye every time he was brought out and introduced to the crowd before games at Goodison, well I'll be shedding a few tears tonight as he makes his way upstairs and thanks that other feller for keeping his seat warm, because today my hero Alex Young has left us, R.I.P Alex you will be forever in my heart.

As we used to say, if you found him in bed, with your missus you would gently close the door, idolised by all Evertonians.

 

[hullefc]

Alex Young graced the pitches that were only just better than a bog and glided over them as if they were like a bowling green. He scored some tremendous goals with both his feet and was superb in the air. Thanks for the memories.

 

[COYB]

Woke up today first thing i seen ... devastated. RIP

 

[Eggs]

.the U23s are playing Portsmouth tonight and wearing black arm bands as a mark of respect to Alex Young.

 

[The_Street_End]

Way before my time. But I've always known to be an Everton Giant.
Let's hope we can honour him at our new place. RIP

 

[Clint Planet]

Very saddened to hear this. My dad loved Alex and I wish I could have seen him play. I was lucky enough to see David France give a talk in London a few months ago and see a rough cut of his documentary, Alex the Great. You sensed then that he was keen to get it out before Alex passed away.

It's such a shame that so very little footage of Alex Young exists. if there were more, I'm sure he'd be mentioned alongside the likes of Best and Finney (indeed, I know that Alan Ball Snr definitely saw something of Finney in him).

RIP, Alex the Great.

 

[ste d' indica]

Sadly before my time, but meant the world to Evertonians I love dearly.

RIP sir.

 

[Harryflashman]

My late dad's favourite player , brought a lot of Everton memories back today this.

RIP a true great

 

[chrismpw]

Before my time, but his reputation stands before him. We've lost one of our own.

 

[summerisle]

Very sad news. Like many others I'm too young to have seen him play, but the very notion of substituting his name to the Golden Vision tells those of us unfortunate not to have seen him play, all we would wish to know.
Some items posted on the internet today.

With Tommy Lawton and Dixie.

 

[Jamo Martinez]

Very sad news. Top of a long list of players I would have loved to have seen.

Part of us for ever

RIP Alex Young

 

[brieverton]

Before my time but couldn't help hearing about what a great man and great player he was. He will not die to us. RIP.

 

[Mrtallywacker]

One of the true miracles of creation, RIP Golden Vision.

Ecclesiastes 12:7
And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

 

[david murphy]

What sad news! RIP Alex. That photo of him rising majestically to score that great header against Tottenham epitomises his brilliance. And remember the chant: 'the sun shines out of Alex' arse, doo-dah, doo-dah'. Legend.

 

[allezlesbleus]

So sad. I saw him live in my first couple of seasons going to the match and although I bizarrely chose Alex Scott to be my first favourite I was amazed at his graceful movement but especially at the way the fans loved him so much. True adoration! My dad's only regret from the perfect cup final in 1966 was that Springett's foul deprived the world of a classic take it around the goalkeeper finish. Never even got the penno!!
He was such a modest man too which adds to the image. Proper school of science player and the programme named after him just summed up Evertonianism in so many ways.......those who understand need no explanation......